Winding machine



April 3, 1956 J. v. KEITH 2,740,590

WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I0 207 207 I8 1 201 I 1s 0 O o 22 0 O G O o e o IN V EN TOR.

BY JOHN V KEITH AT ramvzv P 3, 1956 J. v. KEITH 2,740,590

WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

BY JOHN M K ATTORNEY April 3, 1956 J. v. KEITH 2,740,590

WINDING MACHINE Filed 195 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

Fi3' BY JOHN V KE TH ATTORNEY April 3, 1956 J. v. KElTH 2,740,590

WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1954 e Sheets-Sheet 4 I? Q I IN VEN TOR.

BY JOHN V KEITH ATTORNEY J. V. KEITH WINDING MACHINE April 3, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 18, 1954 INVENTOR.

BY JOHN V K275 W ATTORNEY April 3, 1956 J. v. KEITH 2,740,590

WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR.

BY JOHN V KEITH WfM ATTORNE Y United States Patent WINDING MACHINE John V. Keith, Warwick, R. 1., assignor to Universal Winding Company, ranst0n, R. L, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 18, 1954, Serial No. 404,606

17 Claims. (Cl. 242-48) The present invention relates to winding machines and more particularly relates to a high speed winding machine of the precision winding type.

In the following specification and claims the term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand materials, either textile or otherwise, and the which prior art winding devices could operate has been limited to the speed at which the yarn guide reciprocating mechanism, normally a cam, could operate the yarn guide. The limiting factor in the reciprocating mechanism has been the necessity for stopping the yarn guide at the end of its stroke and starting it on its return stroke as nearly instantaneously as possible. In other words, the goal in the prior art winders has been to obtain as near as possible instantaneous deceleration of the yarn guide at the end of the yarn traverse and instantaneous acceleration thereof to the traversing speed in the return direction with no dwell of the guide in its stopped position. This has been necessary to avoid large knuckles where the strand of yarn reverses its direction at each end of the package to prevent the formation of ridges at each end and excessive compacting of the yarn in the package ends.

One object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine wherein the position of the yarn guide with relation to the surface of the package being wound is accurately controlled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having means for positively separating the winding spindle and the yarn guide as the winding progresses.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having adjustable means for positively separating the yarn guide and the winding spindle as the winding progresses.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine wherein a supplernentary movement of the yarn guide alleviates the needgfor a rapid reversal thereof at each end of its traveler.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of winding whereby the yarn is deposited in layers of alternately increasing and decreasing lengths.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine for depositing the yarn in layers of alternately increasing and decreasing lengths.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having means for positively separating the yarn guide and winding spindle as the winding cycle progresses wherein said separating meansoperates to cause 2,740,590 Patented Apr. 3, 1956 said yarn guide to deposit the yarn in layers of alternately increasing and decreasing lengths.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, and the process involving the several steps and the relation and the order of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating a winding machine, having three winding units thereon, incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation, with parts broken away, of one of the winding heads;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of one of the winding heads showing the relation of the parts thereof prior to starting a winding operation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a winding head with parts broken away showing the mechanism for separating the yarn guide and winding spindle; v

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating apart of the mechanism for separating the spindle and yarn guide;

Fig. '8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the oscillation of the winding pack age towards and away from the yarn guide causes the winding strand of yarn to be deposited on the package in layers of alternately increasing and decreasing lengths;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of a cam for moving'the gear segment to modify the rnovement of the winding spindle; and i Fig. 11 is a modified form of cam.

General description The present invention comprises a winding machine for winding yarn with a Universal, precision or V-wind. In the usual machine of this type, the winding spindle is driven positively at a constant rate of speed to rotate the package being wound and the yarn is traversed lengthwise of the spindle at Ya uniform rate that is such that the guide will lay the yarn in helical coils with each coil adjacent the previously wound coil. The package of yarn wound on a precision winding machine may be identified by the symmetrical V-shaped pattern formed on the surface of the package by the yarn crossings.

The present invention comprises such a precision winding machine having a pivotally rnounted gear segment that is engaged bya pinion carried by a movable winding spindle mounting so that rotation of said pinion causes said spindle to move away from the yarn guidewhich reciprocates along a fixed path. A cam is mountedfor pivotal movement by said spindle as it is moved away from the yarn guide andsai-d cam moves .saidsegment .to thereby modifythe movement imparted said spindle.

Prior to the present invention it has been necessary to reverse the traverse of the yarn guide at each end of its stroke as nearly instantaneously as possible so that the reversal of the yarn helixes at each end of the package is a sharp angle. This has been necessary to avoid laying more yarn on the ends of the package than is wound on the center portion to prevent the yarn building up at the ends and thus distorting the package and oftentimes damaging the yarn. Obviously, the virtual instantaneous reversal of the yarn guide has imposed great stress upon the traverse cam and the yarn guide itself and the magnitude of these stresses has limited the speed at which winding machines could operate. The present invention permits a more gradual reversal of the yarn guide at the ends of its stroke, i. e., a certain amount of deceleration is permissible shortly before the ends of the stroke, a slight dwell is possible at the end of the stroke and the acceleration on the return stroke can be more gradual. Obviously, a cam which is formed to decelerate and accelerate its cam follower at the ends of its stroke can operate at much higher speed than can a cam which must instantaneously stop its follower and start it on its return stroke at full speed.

To compensate for the acceleration, deceleration and dwell incorporated in its traverse cam to permit a higher cam speed, whereby the above mentioned objectionable build up of .yarn at the ends of the package is avoided, the present invention contemplates winding the yarn on the package in layers of alternately increasing and decreasing lengths. The increase and decrease in the length of the winding layers is accomplished by moving the winding package towards and away from the yarn guide. This oscillation of the winding spindle is accomplished by having the abutment against which the segment operating cam reacts, rotatably and eccentrically mounted in the winding mechanism whereby said segment is oscillated and through said segment the spindle is oscillated.

Winding units The apparatus of the present invention comprises a plurality of winding units adapted to be mounted on a bed formed from two parallel horizontal bars 12 supported by legs 14. All of the winding units are driven by a single motor 16. A shelf 15 extends longitudinally of the apparatus supported by leg 14 and serves as a support for the supply of yarn Y to be wound by the winding units.

Inasmuch as all of the winding units on the winding machine of the present invention are similar, only one such unit will be explained in detail. Each winding unit comprises a rotatable spindle adapted to receive a package core or yarn holder 18 and a traverse mechanism 20 adapted to traverse a strand of yarn Y longitudinally of the core 18 to wind the package of yarn thereon.

Traverse mechanism 20, Figs. 1, 2 and 6, is carried by a bracket 22 which is secured to the front rail 12 of the bed in such a manner that said traverse mechanism projects forwardly therefrom. The traverse mechanism 20 comprises a housing 24 secured to bracket 22 by any convenient means which will permit it to be pivoted slightly thereon so that said traverse mechanism can be adjusted to reciprocate its yarn guide 28 parallel to the surface of package cores 18 having dilferent tapers. Housing 24 is provided at its back and front heads with journals which serve as bearings for a shaft 26. Shaft 26 carries a multi-grooved barrel cam, not shown, Within said housing 24 and which is connected to and drives yarn guide 28 in a manner Well known to those skilled in the art. Shaft'26 projects from the back edge of housing 24 and has fixedly secured thereon a toothed pulley 30, Fig. 5, which is driven by a cogged belt 32, in a manner to be explained more in detail hereinafter, to rotate shaft 26 and the barrel cam carried thereby to reciprocate yarn guide 28 longitudinally to package core 18.

The winding spindle comprises a horizontal shaft 34 rotatably journaled by means of suitable bearings in the front and back walls 33 and 35 respectively of housing 36 and adjacent the upper end of that housing. Housing 36 also has a side wall 37. Housing 36 is mounted for pivotal movement on shaft 38, which is fixedly attached to horizontal bars 12, by means of suitable bearings located in the lower ends of walls 33 and to permit shaft 34 and housing 36 to swing towards and away from traverse mechanism 20 about shaft38 as an axis. A toothed pulley 40 is fixedly mounted on shaft 34. A pair of toothed pulleys 42 and 44 are rotatably carried by shaft 38 and are secured in axial alignment to a flat pulley also rotatably carried by shaft 38. Pulley 45 is adapted to be driven by belt 43 in a manner to be explained more in detail hereinafter. Pulley 42 is in alignment with pulley 40 and is drivingly connected thereto by means of a cogged belt 46. Pulley 44 is in alignment with one side of a double toothed pulley 48, rotatably carried by stub shaft which is secured to bed or table 12, and is driven thereby by means of a cogged belt 52. The other side of double pulley 48 is in alignment with pulley 30 on traverse shaft 26 and is connected thereto by cogged belt 32 to rotate said shaft 26 and the barrel cam carried thereby.

it will, therefore, be seen that when fiat pulley 45 is rotated by belt 43, in the manner to be explained hereinafter, to rotate pulleys 42 and 44 that shaft 34 will be rotated by means of pulleys 40 and 42 and belt 46 to cause yarn to be wound on package core 18, and that yarn guide 18 will be reciprocated adjacent core 18 by reason of pulleys 44, 48 and 30, and belts 52 and 32, rotating shaft 26 and the barrel cam carried thereby.

As stated above, pulleys 42 and 44 are rotatably carried on shaft 38 by means of fiat pulley 45. Pulley 45 is located above and adjacent belt 43 which is driven by motor 16.and runs longitudinally of the entire machine to drive all of the winding heads. An idler pulley 54 is rotatably carried on the end of lever 56 and is located on the opposite side of belt 43 from pulley 45 and vertically displaced from said pulley 45. Pulley 54 is adapted to be swung upwardly by lever 56 to press belt 43 into engagement with the periphery of pulley 45 to cause said belt to drive said pulley 45. The upper end of lever 56 includes a yoke shaped portion 57 which spans bracket 22 and is pivotally secured thereto by means of stud 58. A starting handle is fixedly secured to the front of yoke shaped portion 57 so that downward movement of said starting handle will pivot lever 56 upwardlyto en gage belt 43 and pulley 45. A helical'spring 96 is carried by stud 5S and has one of its ends engaging starting handle 80 to urge said handle upwardly in a direction to disengage belt 43 and pulley 45.

Latch means are provided for holding starting handle 80 in its lowered operating position including a latch plate 98, see Figs. 2, 3 and 6, pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the lower edge of bracket 22 by means of a stud 100. The upper end of latch plate 98 is bent over to form a latch shoulder 104 adapted to engage over a keeper member 106 formed on the back of starting handle 80. When starting handle 80 is depressed to engage belt 43 and pulley 45 to start the Winding unit, keeper 106 passes below latch shoulder 104 and is held thereby in operating position. An inverted Y-shaped lever 110 is pivoted intermediate its ends to latch plate 98 by means of stud 112 in such a manner that upward movement of said Y-shaped lever will rotate latch plate 98 in a clockwise direction to move latch shoulder 104 off from keeper member 106. A yarn engaging bar or wire 124 projects forwardly from one of the depending arms of lever 110 for engagement by the winding strand of yarn to hold said lever 110 against rotation. The other depending arm of Y-shaped lever 110 is provided with an abutment 128 adapted to swing into engagement with a constantly rotating member, not shown, and to be lifted thereby when the winding strand of yarn breaks to disengage latch 104 and keeper 106.

A bar 60, Figs. 4 and 5, is fixedly secured to the upper surface of yoke portion 57 by any convenient means and has a brake block 76 attached thereto at its innermost end for engagement with the periphery of pulley 45 to stop said pulley when idler pulley 54 is moved down- ,5 wardly to disengage belt 43 and said pulley 45. Brake block 76 is attached to bar 69 by means of a pin and slot connection with bracket 64 fr rmed on the innermost end of bar 60. A spring 66 contained in bracket 64 resiliently urges brake block 76 in the direction of pulley 45.

Spindle separating mechanism-Each Winding unit is provided with a mechanism for moving the winding spindle of the package being wound thereon away from yarn guide 23 at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the yarn builds up on the package.

When a package of yarn is wound its diameter does not increase as a linear function of the number of revolotions of the package, instead it increases asymptotically. The reason for this constantly decreasing rate of growth is due to the changing angle at which the yarn is laid on the package as the package increases in diameter. Therefore, the spindle and yarn guide separating mechanism is adapted to move the winding spindle away from the yarn guide at a constantly decreasing rate to thereby keep the winding package and yarn guide spaced from one another within predetermined limits throughout the complete winding cycle. The spindle separating mechanism comprises a gear segment 140, Figs.

2, 4, 6 and 7, pivotally mounted on shaft 38 whereby spindle carrying housing 36, can move relative thereto. A pinion 141 is meshed with segment 140 and is rotated by spindle 3 acting through a speed reducing mechanism to move package core 18 away from yarn guide 28. The speed reducing mechanism comprises a worm gear 142 on shaft 34 which meshes with and drives worm wheel 144 fixedly attached to shaft 146. Shaft 146 is suitably journaled in side wall 37 of housing 36 and projects therethrough to the outer surface thereof. A crank disc 148 is fixedly secured to the outer end of shaft 146 and has one end of a connecting rod 154 eccentrically connected thereto by means of an adjustable disc 152. Manual rotation of disc 152 permits the throw of crank disc 148 to be adjusted so thatthe distance connecting rod 154 is moved can be adjusted to any predetermined desired distance. The other end of connecting rod154 is pivotally connected to the tail end of a ratchet pawl 156. Ratchet pawl 156 is pivotally carried by mm 158 which in turn is carried for swinging motion by stub shaft 160 fixedly carried by side wall 37 A ratchet wheel 162 is mounted for rotation on stub shaft 160 and is superimposed on arm 158 to permit pawl 156 to engage its teeth whereby it is rotated. A pinion gear, not shown, is also carried by stub shaft 150 and is axially connected to ratchet wheel 16?. so that rotation of said ratchet wheel rotates said pinion which is meshed with and drives gear 168 of a set of speed change gears comprising gears 170, 171, 172, 173 and 174. Gear 173 rotates on stub shaft 176, carried by a movable arm 178 adjustably mounted on side wall 37 so that gears of different pitch may be substituted in the speed reducing mechanism. Gear 174 is fixed to and rotates shaft 180 journaled in side wall 37. A bevel gear, not shown, is fixed to shaft 180 and is rotated thereby. A shaft 181 is journaled in bosses 179 on side wall 37 for rotary and sliding movement therein. Bevel gear 132 is fixedly secured to the innermost or right hand end of shaft 181 as viewed in Fig. 7 and is normally urged into meshing engagement with the bevel gear carried by shaft 189 by means of helical spring 183. A collar res is fixed to the opposite end of shaft 181 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. Pinion 186 is fixed to shaft 181 adjacent, but spaced from collar 184 and is meshed with gear 188 carried by stub shaft 190. Pinion 141 which meshes with gear segment 140 also rotates on stub shaft 199 and is fixed to gear 188 and is rotated thereby. It will be seen that spindle 334 rotates pinion 141 through the above described speed re ducing mechanism at a speed that is a predetermined fraction of its own speed. It will also be seen that as pinion 141 rotates it will travel along gear segment 140 to move 6 housing 36 and spindle 34 away from traverse mechanism 20.

As best shown in Fig. 6, gear segment is of generally inverted L-shape having its lowermost end pivotally journaled on shaft 38 at the center of its gear teeth 192 that are formed on its other end. Gear segment 140 is capable of pivotal movement about shaft 38 relative to housing 36 and traverse mechanism 20 and the extent of this pivotal movement is limited by means of slot 193 formed therein which is engaged by pin 194 extending inwardly from bracket 22. A cam 195, also see Figs. 10 and 11, is pivotally secured to gear segment 140 by means of pin 196 in such a location on said segment that I its cam surface extends beyond the left hand edge thereof.

A link 197 has one of its ends pivotally connected to cam 1&5 and has its other end pivotally connected to bracket 1% secured to housing 36. Link 197 holds cam 195 against independent rotation relative to gear segment 140 but rotates said cam relative to said segment, for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter, when housing 36 is moved relative to said segment. The cam sur face periphery of earn 195 rests against a roller 199 carried by stub shaft 200 which in turn is rotatably journaled in bracket 22. It will therefore be seen that gear segment 14% is held against movement in a counterclockwise direction by roller 199 and cam to permit housing 36 to rotate in a clockwise direction under the action of pinion 141. As housing 36 moves relative to gear segment 140 link 197 will rotate cam relative to said segment. Cam 195 can be shaped so that its counterclockwise rotation will move segment 140 in a clockwise direction, or it can be shaped to permit the segment to move in a counterclockwise direction. That is to say, cam 195 can be so shaped, Fig. 10, that at the start of the winding cycle, the position shown in Fig. 6, its low point will be adjacent roller 199 so that as said cam rotates in a counterclockwise direction during the winding cycle it will move segment 140 in a clockwise direction. Thus the total movement of housing 36 will be the distance pinion 141 moves along the teeth192 of the segment plus the distance the segment is moved by cam 195. On the other hand, if the high point of the cam (see cam 195a, Fig. 11) is adjacent roller 199 at the start of the winding cycle the distance housing 36 moves will be the distance pinion 141 moves along segment teeth 192 minus the distance segment 140 moves in a counterclockwise direction. Bracket 198 is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 291 each of which can selectively hold the end of link 197 to move cam 195 a greater or less amount depending upon the yarn being wound.

Whether cam 195 moves gear segment 141) in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction depends upon the speed of pinion 141 relative to the speed of spindle 34. If pinion 141 rotates at a speed which will separate spindle 34 and yarn guide 28 at the speed the winding package builds up at the start of the winding cycle, then cam 195a of Fig. 11 must be used. This cam is shaped to permit segment 14% to pivot in a counterclockwise direction to subtract from the movement of housing 36 inasmuch as the winding yarn builds up at a decreasing rate as the winding progresses. On the other hand, if pinion 141 rotates at a speed to move housing 36 relative to segment 1411 at a rate equal to the rate at which the package increases in size at the end of the Winding cycle, cam 195 of Fig. 10 must be used and this cam is shaped to move said segment in a clockwise direction to add to the movement imparted to said housing 36. It will be understood that regardless of whether an increasing or decreasing cam is employed, its periphery is such that package core 18 and yarn guide 23 are separated at a decreasing rate of speed as the winding cycle progresses.

A pulley 292 is secured to stub shaft 200, see Fig. 8, and is driven by belt 2t13from shaft 294. Shaft 204 ex tends lengthwise of the winding machine and is driven by belt 43 by means of a speed reducer 205 located adjacent one end of the machine. Roller 199 is mounted eccentrically on stub shaft 200 so that rotation of said stub shaft by pulley 202 causes said roller to oscillate gear segment 140 and housing 36 an amount equal to the eccentricity of said roller. Oscillation of housing 36 causes the surface of the winding package of yarn to move towards and away from yarn guide 28 in the manner shown in dotted and full line positions in Fig. 9. The result of the winding package moving towards and away from the yarn guide is to displace the knuckles of the winding yarn inwardly from the ends of the winding package a slight amount when said package and yarn guide are separated. The distance that the knuckles are displaced is a function of the number of wraps of yarn included in each layer and the distance between guide 28 and the surface of the winding package. That is to say, for a given spacing between guide 28 and the package the displacement of the knuckles will increase as the number of wraps included in a layer decreases. Also, for a given number of wraps the displacement will increase as the spacing between guide 23 and the package is increased. It is preferred to displace the knuckles inwardly a distance equal to from one to three diameters of the yarn being wound. This displacement can usually be obtained by moving the package towards and away from guide 23 a distance from to /s inch. However, it will be understood that it may be necessary to increase or decrease this range somewhat depending upon the diameter of the yarn being wound and the number of wraps being placed in each layer.

The slight displacement of the yarn knuckles obtained by moving the winding package towards and away from guide 28 permits a more gradual reversal of yarn guide 28 inasmuch as the knuckles are not superimposed upon each other and thereby do not result in an excessive build up of yarn at each end of the package. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a traverse cam which can include a certain amount of deceleration, dwell and acceleration at each end of its stroke can be operated at a considerably higher speed than can a traverse cam that must stop and reverse its follower and yarn guide virtually instantaneously.

A cam member 206 is fixed to the upper surface of yoke 57 in such a position that it can engage the left hand edge of gear segment 140 as starting handle 80 moves upwardly to stop the operation of the winding head. As handle 8%? continues upwardly, cam member 206 pivots gear segment 146, housing 36 and the wound package carried thereby away from traverse mechanism and yarn guide 28 to provide a clearance between the periphcry of the package and said yarn guide to permit dofiing. Conversely, downward movement of starting'handle 80 to start the winding head permits segment 140 and housing 36 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction to bring cam 195 into engagement with roller 199.

Means are provided for releasing the coupling between pinion 14l and spindle 34 to permit housing 36 to return to its starting position relative to segment 140. A lever 207 is pivotally mounted to front wall 33 above spindle 34 and functions upon being pushed rearwardly to release package core 18 from the spindle and upon being pivoted forwardly to clamp a fresh core thereon, all in a manner old and well known in the art. A curved finger 208 is pivotally journaled intermediate its ends in the upper portion of housing 36. Its right hand end, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 6, projects through an opening in wall 37 and is received between coller 184 and pinion 186 carried by sliding shaft 181. A pin 209, see Fig. '7, is slidably journaled in the upper end of housing 36 and has its innermost end in contact with the left hand end of finger 208. The other end of pin 209 projects beyond the outer surface of front wall 33 and is engageable by lever 20? when that lever is pivoted forwardly to 8 thereby slide pin 209 rearwardly to cause it to pivot finger 208. Such pivotal movement of finger 208 causes its right hand end to engage collar 184 and to slide shaft 18.1 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 7, to disengage bevel gear 182 from its driving bevel gear. A spring urged latch member 211 moves in back of collar 134 to maintain gear 182 in its disengaged position. gear 182 is disengaged from its driving gear in the above described manner, pinion 141, gear 188, pinion 186 and shaft 181 are free to rotate to permit housing 36 to re 7 turn to its starting position relative to gear segment 140.

A stop 210, see Fig. 6, is fixed to gear segment 140 and is engageable by an abutment on housing 36 to thereby position housing 36 andsegment 140 relative to one another in a predetermined manner. Latch 211 carries a tail portion 212, see Fig. 4, positioned to engage a portion of bracket 22 when starting lever is depressed to bring the winding spindle and traversing mechanism into their operative positions and to start the winding head. Contact of tall 212 with bracket 22 causes latch 211 to pivot out of engagement with collar 184 whereupon helical spring 183 returns shaft 181 to the right to engage bevel gear 182 with its driving gear.

Mode of operation At the end of the winding cycle latch shoulder 104 is released from keeper member 106 permitting handle 80 to swing upwardly. Upward movement of handle 80 moves idler pulley 54 downwardly to disengage belt 43 from pulley 4S and brings brake block 76 into engagement with the periphery of said pulley to stop the operation of the winding head. At the same time cam 206 engages the edge of gear segment and pivots the segment in a clockwise direction to move the periphery of the wound package away'from yarn guide 28. Handle 237 is then pivoted rearwardly to release package core 18 and to permit the wound package to be removed from spindle 34. A new core 18 is then placed on spindle 34, strand of yarn Y is secured thereto, and handle 207 is pivoted forwardly to lock said core on said spindle. Forward movement of lever 207 causes its lower end to engage pin 209 and slide that pin rearwardly causing it to swing curved finger 203. This movement of finger 208 brings its right hand end into engagement with collar 184 and continued movement thereof moves said collar and shaft 181 to disengage bevel gear 182 from its driving gear and permits latch member 211 to move in back of collar 184 to hold said bevel gear in its disengaged posi tion. With bevel gear 182 disengaged, housing 36 can be moved in a counterclockwise direction until the abutment carried thereby engages stop 210 affixed to segment 140. Starting handle 80 is depressed to release brake 76, engage belt 43 and pulley 45 to start the rotation of spindle 34 and the reciprocation of yarn guide 28, and to move earn 206 to lower gear segment 140 to its operating position. Movement of segment 140 to its operating position brings tail 212 of latch 211 into engagement with bracket 22 to release latch 211 from collar 184 whereupon spring 183 moves bevel gear 182-into mesh with its driving gear.

Rotation of spindle 34 acting through the speed reducing mechanism rotates pinion 141 and rotation of said pinion 141 moves housing 36,,and spindle 34 carried thereby, in a clockwise direction away from yarn guide 28. Movement of housing 36 relative to gear segment 140 acting through link 197 rotates earn in a counterclockwise direction and movement of cam 195 moves said segment 140 to modify the movement of housing 36 and spindle 34. Cam 195 can be shaped to move segment 140 in a clockwise direction at a decreasing rate of speed and such movement of the segment adds to the movement of housing 36 and spindle 34. Cam 195 can be shaped to permit segment 140 to move in a counterclockwise direction at a decreasing rate of speed, the cam of Fig. 11, and in such case the movement of segment When bevel 140 subtracts from the movement of housing 36 and spindle 34. The configuration of cam 195, i. e., Whether an adding cam, Fig. 10, or a 'subtractingcam, .Fig. 11, is used, is determined by the rate at which pinion .141 moves housing 36 and spindle 34 relative to gear segment 1%. if the movement imparted by pinion 141 is equal to the rate at which the winding yarn builds up on the package at the end of the winding cycle, an adding cam of the type shown in Fig. will be employed so that the movement of spindle 34 away from yarn guide 28 will be equal to the rate at which the yarn builds up at the beginning of the winding cycle. On the other hand, if pinion 141 moves housing 36 and spindle 34 relative to segment 140 at a rate equal to the rate at which the winding yarn builds up at the start of the winding cycle, a substracting cam as illustrated in Fig. 11 will be employed so that spindle 34 will move away from yarn guide 28 at the end of the winding cycle at a speed equal to the rate at which the winding yarn builds up.

Stub shaft 2% is continuously rotated by belt 43 acting through speed reducer 205, shaft 204, belt 203 and pulley 202. Rotation of stub shaft 200 rotates eccen trically mounted roller 199, and roller 199 oscillates gear segment 140 to thereby move spindle 34, and the winding package carried thereby, towards and away from yarn guide 23. The alternately increasing and decreasing space between yarn guide 28 and the winding package causes the layers of yarn wound on the package to shorten as the spacing increases and to lengthen as the spacing is} decreased to thus space the knuckles in the winding strand of yarn from one another longitudinally of the package.

Since certain changes may bemade in the above processes and apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand or" yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, means for separating said spindle and yarn guide, and means actuated by the relative movement between said spindle and guide for modifying said relative movement.

2. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, means for separating said spindle and yarn guide, and means including a cam actuated by the relativemovement between said spindle and guide for modifying said relative movement.

3. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, means for separating said spindle and yarn guide, and means including a cam pivoted by the relative movement between said spindle and guide for modifying said relative movement.

4. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement, a pinion meshed with said segment and rotated by said spindle for separating said spindle and yarn guide, and means for moving said segment to thereby modify the relative movement between said spindle and guide.

5. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle forwinding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement, a pinion meshed with said segment and rotated by said spindle for separating said spindle and yarn guide, and means including a cam for moving said segment to thereby modify the relative movement between said spindle and guide.

6. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for Winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement, a pinion meshed with said segment and rotated by said spindle for separating said spindle and yarn guide, a cam associated with said segment and movable by the relative movement between said spindle and guide to move said segment to thereby modify said relative movement.

7. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, means mounting said spindle for move ment towards and away from said guide, and means for positively moving said spindle away from said guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package increases in size, said moving means including a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement relative to said guide, a pinion meshed with said segment, said pinion being carried by said spindle mounting means and rotated by said spindle whereby said spindle is moved relative to said segment and said guide, and means for moving said segment relative to said guide to modify the movement of said spindle relative to said guide.

8. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, means mounting said spindle for move ment towards and away from said guide, and means for positively moving said spindle away from said guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package increases in size, said moving means including a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement relative to said guide, a pinion meshed with said segment, said pinion being carried by said spindle mounting means and rotated by said spindle whereby said spindle is moved relative to said segment and said guide, and means including a cam for .moving said segment relative to said guide to modify the movement of said spindle relative to said guide.

9. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, means mounting said spindle for movement towards and away from said guide, and means for positively moving said spindle away from said guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package increases in size, said moving means including a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement relative to said guide, a pinion meshed with said segment, said pinion being carried by said spindle mounting means and rotated by said spindle whereby said spindle is moved relative to said segment and said guide, a cam associated with said segment and movable by the relative movement between said segment and said spindle mounting means to move said segment relative to said guide to thereby modify the movement of said spindle relative to said guide.

10. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, means mounting said spindle for movement towards and away from said guide, and

11 7 means for positively moving said spindle away from said guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package increases in size, said moving means including a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement relative to said guide, a pinion meshed with said segment, said pinion being carried by said spindle mounting means and rotated by said spindle whereby said spindle is moved relative to said segment and said guide, a cam associated with said segment, a link connecting said spindle mounting means and said cam whereby movement of said mounting means relative to said segment will rotate said cam to move said segment relative to said guide and to thereby modify the movement of said spindle relative to said guide.

11. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for Winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, means for separating said spindle and yarn guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package grows, and means for oscillating said separating means to cause said winding package and yarn guide to move towards and away from each other as thewinding cycle progresses.

12. in a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, said spindle and yarn guide being mounted for movement relative to each other, means for separating said spindle and yarn guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package grows, and an eccentric for oscillating said separating; means to cause said winding package and yarn guide to move towards and away from each other as the winding cycle progresses.

13. in a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding 21 package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, means mounting said spindle for movement towards and away from said guide, and means for positively moving said spindle away from said guide at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the winding package increases in size, said moving means including a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement relative to said guide, a pinion meshed with said segment, said pinion being carried by said spindle mounting means and rotated by said spindle whereby said spindle is moved relative to said segment and said guide, means for moving said segment relative to said guide to modify the movement of said spindle relative to said guide, and means for oscillating said segment and Segment moving means to move said spindle and the winding package carried thereby towards and away from said yarn guide as the winding cycle progresses.

14. In a winding machine the combination comprising a rotatable spindle for winding a package of yarn, a yarn guide for reciprocating a strand of yarn longitudinally of said spindle, means mounting said spindle for movement towards and away from said guide, and means for positively moving said spindle away from said guide at a gear segment mounted for limited pivotal movement relative to said guide, a pinion meshed with said segment, said pinion being carried by said spindle mounting means and rotated by said spindle whereby said spindle is moved relative to said segment and said guide, means for moving said segment relative to said guide to modify the movement of said spindle relative to said guide, and an eccentric for oscillating said segment moving means and said segment to move said spindle and the winding package carried thereby towards and away from said yarn guide as the winding cycle progresses.

15. The method of winding :1 package of yarn comprising the steps of rotating a core to wind a strand of yarn thereon, reciprocating a strand of yarnalong a predetermined path longitudinally of said core to lay said strand thereon in spaced helixes to thereby form a package, and periodically increasing and decreasing the spacing between the surface of said package and said path as the winding cycle progresses to respectively decrease and increase the length of the layers of yarn deposited on the winding package.

16. The method of winding a package of yarn comprising the steps of rotating 2. core to wind at strand'of yarn thereon, reciprocating a strand of yarn along a predetermined path longitudinally of said core to lay said strand thereon in spaced helixes to thereby form a package, and periodically moving the winding package towards and away from said path as the winding cycle progresses to respectively increase and decrease the length of the layers of yarn deposited on the winding package.

17. The method of winding 21 package of yarn comprising the steps of rotating a core to wind 21 strandof yarn thereon, reciprocating a strand of yarn along a predetermined path longitudinally of said core to lay said strand thereon in spaced helixes to thereby form a package, moving the Winding package away from said path at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which said package grows, and periodically superimposing on said movement away from said yarn guide an oscillating movement toward and away from said guide to respectively increase and decrease the lengths of the layers of yarn deposited on the winding package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,182 Kinsella Oct. 17, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,219 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1943 

